The awards predictions for the American and National leagues are in; now it’s time to have a little fun.

Outside of the awards and division and wild-card winners, there are other things about which to make educated guesses. From the absurd to the analytical, let’s get it going:

No-hitters

The last two seasons have been dubbed as pitchers’ years. Whether it is because of a more stringent drug-testing program or just because these things go in cycles —the latter is my estimation—the arms have had control of the bats recently and no-hitters have been coming in abundance.

So how many will there be this year? Or, better yet, who will deliver them?

My first choice is James McDonald, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander who was a walking no-hitter alert for the entire first half of last season. He never got one but this might be his season. McDonald is a key to the Pirates’ success, but even if he doesn’t have a great summer, a no-hitter is in his future.

The AL prediction: Max Scherzer. The Detroit Tigers right-hander found something golden in the second half of last season and a scout told me during the playoffs in Oakland that he believed Scherzer had the best stuff of anyone in the game this side of Justin Verlander. Scherzer is a prime candidate to no-hit someone with his strikeout rates and newfound ability to dominate for innings at a time.

Hey, if Francisco Liriano can find nine no-hit innings, these two certainly can.

Ticking time bomb

During the World Baseball Classic, a Team USA source told me that Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton called Hanley Ramirez an awful teammate. No one in Miami was devastated when the Marlins traded Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers last July.

If Ramirez produces and the Dodgers win, this might not become an issue. If the Dodgers lose, or if Ramirez doesn’t hit, he can become a problem. With Matt Kemp as the team’s leading alpha male, there won’t be any room for another, which Ramirez clearly is.

If things break the wrong way in Los Angeles, this could become a national story in the same way the Boston Red Sox clubhouse drama was last year.

Skippers under fire

Certain managers enter the season on the hot seat because of sky-high expectations or recent poor performances.

Once upon a time there was a contract given to Mike Scioscia that made it appear he’d be the manager of the Los Angeles Angels until he decided he didn’t want the job. That wasn’t very long ago, but now that expectations haven’t been met for three consecutive seasons, owner Arte Moreno isn’t giving Scioscia such a long leash.

Scioscia will get the entire season barring something catastrophic, but if the Angels don’t make the playoffs this fall, he will be gone.

As far as an in-season firing, Ned Yost might have it done to him for a second time. The Kansas City Royals have new expectations and they see their time to win as immediately. If they fall too far back, Yost will not survive.

In a word, no. No one in either league will sweep the average, home run and RBI titles this season. Not Miguel Cabrera. Not Mike Trout. Not Matt Kemp. Not Ryan Braun. Not Joey Votto.

In fact, no one will even come close. Cabrera and Votto will have outstanding seasons and might very well win the MVP awards in their respective leagues, but neither will flirt with the Triple Crown into September.

Silent fall

The New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants will miss the playoffs this season.

The Yanks have way too many injuries to overcome, and by the time everyone is healthy, their hole will be far too deep. The offensive woes we witnessed during the 2012 AL Championship Series will continue into the 2013 regular season and their pitching is nowhere near good enough to make up the difference.

The Giants will have another letdown season after winning a championship, as they did in 2011 after winning in 2010. Their roster isn’t so great. They won a World Series by getting hot and lucky at the perfect times. That is what it takes to win a title—well, that and outstanding pitching.

San Francisco is banking on essentially the same roster finding the same luck, except this time they won’t have Melky Cabrera’s bat or a world-class rotation. That means the Los Angeles Dodgers will win the NL West and the Giants, will miss out on a wild-card berth.

This outfield is in

The Atlanta Braves did themselves two favors in the offseason. First, they signed free agent B.J. Upton and traded for his younger brother, Justin, to team with Jason Heyward in their outfield. This will make them very good. Second, in doing so, they gave themselves a marketing dream. It is a trio that can sell tickets and win games.

If they produce on the field, they can impact baseball the way the Fab Five did college basketball in the 1990s. The Uptons and Heyward have the game, they have the style and they have the swag. If it all comes together the way the Braves believe they will, this outfield will be baseball’s new movement.

And let’s not underestimate the impact it will have on inner-city baseball. That all three are African-American can not only attract new baseball fans in Atlanta, it can draw in new ones throughout the country.